UK Man Photographs Freckled Faces, and Their Beauty Is Going Viral on the Internet

It’s not that unusual to want to fit in with the crowd. Some people even go so far as to mask any unique traits they might have—among which are sometimes included birthmarks, skin blemishes, and freckles.

Turning that logic on its head, it was such imperfections as these that led one U.K. photographer to spend over two years capturing and sharing with the world the beauty of freckled skin. The pictures are breathtaking.

Brock Elbank is a London-based photographer known for his portraits that showcase unusual features of his subjects. He states that his main focus in all his photography is “documenting the beauty in being an individual,” as per Today.

While living in Sydney, Australia, Elbank got the idea of his photography project, #Freckles, when he met his friend’s son, Eddie. According to the artist, Eddie had the most freckles on his face that he had ever seen and immediately drew his attention.

“He was a great-looking character,” Elbank told BuzzFeed, “so I asked John if I could shoot a portrait, and that was the start of the idea in early 2012.”

After he moved back to the United Kingdom in 2015, Elbank fully began the project. And in two years, he shot over 150 subjects from all over the world. A common theme he noticed about his models was that frequently they would tell him that they did feel uncomfortable with their freckled skin.

“What I find interesting about individual characters that I have been fortunate enough to photograph is that many have struggled with their freckles since their infancy and either hated them or grown to live with them or even like them in adulthood,” he explains.

When he spoke to Today, he noted that many of his subjects suffered from bullying at the hands of their peers due to freckles. “Many [received] teasing, bullying, and verbal abuse. Now hopefully all are feeling more at peace with their looks,” as per Today.

However, the photographer himself loves the uniqueness that comes out of such models and having had the opportunity to showcase it.

As he explains in a BBC interview, “I love unusual, so many people kinda blend in […], I like people that stand out. They’re the kind of people I’m drawn to photograph. The more individual, the better for me.” His portraits are indeed a showcase of beauty and individuality.

Brock Elbank: The photographer who helped me love my freckles See the full gallery: http://gu.com/p/4ct5j/fb

Frequently, the photographer even finds himself drawn to individual people he comes across on the tube. “Each time I travel on the London underground, I see dozens of individuals I would love to photograph,” he tells BuzzFeed.

Some have even criticized and stated that the images look almost unreal. That’s due to the photographer’s ability to enhance the freckles of his subjects and give them an almost surreal impression. When BuzzFeed asked him about his process, he revealed, “I don’t use UV lights or any gimmicks. I have a post-production process that takes about four hours per portrait.”

His project took the world by storm when it was made public online, and it went viral. He was featured in several news outlets and received numerous emails from fans sharing their appreciation and thanking him for the impact he had on their lives.

“I’ve had literally hundreds of emails from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds saying how much they’re enjoying the series and loving that it’s showing them in a positive light!” he told Today.

As per the photographer’s Instagram, he also ran projects shooting other individuals, featuring models with beards and scars.

This is such a fantastic way to celebrate uncommon beauty! Unfortunately, so many feel the need to put down those that have different traits to the norm or the common idea of beauty. But it’s so amazing to see this artist capture and showcase that human individuality in all its wonderful forms.

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